Muskrat Falls employment went up in May

The latest numbers from Muskrat Falls are out. According to Nalcor, 2,051 people were employed through the mega-project during May 2014. Of that number, 1,803 — or 88 per cent — were Newfoundland and Labrador residents.

The construction site at Muskrat Falls, as seen in fall 2013. In 2014, the construction of the powerhouse will begin and skilled trades labour will be an important consideration. — Submitted photo courtesy of Nalcor Energy

The report also states employment for Labradorians continues to rise. In May, 688 Labrador residents — 324 of which are members of an Aboriginal group — held jobs that were available through the project in Labrador, which equaled 46 per cent of the total workforce. Newfoundlanders, meanwhile, held 681 of those jobs.

In comparison, there were 548 Labradorians employed locally in April, making up 43.4 per cent of the workforce. Newfoundlanders, during that same month, held 589 of those jobs.

Out of the 2,051 workers, 341 were women, which is approximately 17 per cent of all employees.

Job creation for Labradorians has been a controversial topic since the project began in January 2013. People in the Big Land have been promised a Labrador-first hiring policy where the Innu have first priority, followed by other qualified Labradorians, and then qualified residents on the Island.

The issue came to a head in February 2014, when approximately 20 people blocked a portion of the Trans-Labrador Highway, claiming that they couldn’t get a job with any of the contractors. The protest temporary prevented Muskrat Falls employees from entering the work site.

The Labradorian

Percentage of jobs

The percentage of Labrador jobs held by Labrador residents for the first 17 months of the Muskrat Falls project.

— May 2014 — 46.2 per cent

— April 2014 — 43.4 per cent

— March 2014 — 42.2 per cent

— February 2014 — 40.6 per cent

— January 2014 — 39.4 per cent

— December 2013 — 39.9 per cent

— November 2013 — 40.3 per cent

— October 2013 — 41.8 per cent

— September 2013 — 41.2 per cent

— August 2013 — 39.8 per cent

— July 2013 — 38.3 per cent

— June 2013 — 40.3 per cent

— May 2013 — 36.4 per cent

— April 2013 — 37.6 per cent

— March 2013 — 34.2 per cent

— February 2013 — 30.8 per cent

— January 2013 — 30.2 per cent

Final numbers

The total number of Labrador residents employed in Labrador for each of the first 17 months of the Muskrat Falls project.

The construction site at Muskrat Falls, as seen in fall 2013. In 2014, the construction of the powerhouse will begin and skilled trades labour will be an important consideration. — Submitted photo courtesy of Nalcor Energy